This invention relates to habitable basements, and more particularly to a basement wall system that facilitates rapid construction at a low cost.
Basement walls for residential buildings have generally been constructed of concrete. Typically, spaced apart vertical forms are assembled at a building site, and concrete is poured into the space defined between the forms. After the concrete has been poured, it must be allowed to set or cure for a period of several days, and often as much as two weeks or even longer. Construction of a building having a poured concrete wall must be completely suspended during the time which the concrete is curing. This delay in construction is undesirable because it usually results in a delay in progress payments and/or final payment to the builder, and can often be associated with reduced profits and/or higher costs.
Another disadvantage with concrete basement walls is that they have relatively high capacity for absorbing and conveying moisture through capillary action, and, as a result, basements with concrete walls tend to be damp and clammy. This problem cannot be completely overcome by providing the concrete wall with a water-resistant barrier coating or layer because moisture can still be transported from the ground through the footing, and into, and through, the concrete walls.
A further disadvantage with concrete basement walls is that they have relatively low thermal insulating properties. As a result, conventional basements having concrete walls tend to be relatively cool and generally uncomfortable during the winter months.
The above referenced application (Ser. No. 09/033,736) upon which priority is claimed in this application discloses an improved basement wall system that overcomes many of the problems with the prior art, and allows rapid construction of a highly moisture resistant, comfortable basement, that in most cases can be constructed at a substantially reduced cost as compared with many conventional habitable basement structures. Although the disclosed basement wall system provides many advantages over conventional basement wall structures, it has now been discovered that the same advantages can be achieved with an improved structure that further reduces construction costs.
In one aspect of the invention, there is provided a highly economical basement wall structure that can be utilized to define a habitable basement that provides strength and comfort that equals or exceeds that of conventional basement wall structures. The basement wall in accordance with this aspect of the invention includes a metal sill, a plurality of spaced apart metal wall studs, metal decking secured to the plurality of metal wall studs, and a metal reinforcing stud welded to each of the plurality of metal wall studs. The wall studs extend upwardly from the sill to a height of the habitable basement, and the reinforcing studs extend upwardly from the sill to a height of about 25% or less of the height of the wall studs.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a habitable building basement that meets or exceeds applicable construction standards in most or all localities is provided. The habitable building basement includes a concrete basement floor and a basement wall extending upwardly from the basement floor, wherein the basement wall and basement floor define a habitable basement. The basement wall includes a metal sill, a plurality of metal wall studs welded to the sill and extending upwardly from the sill to a height of the habitable basement, metal decking secured to the plurality of metal studs, and a metal reinforcing stud welded to each of the plurality of metal wall studs. Each of the reinforcing studs is also welded to the sill and extends upwardly from the sill to a height of about 25% or less of the height of the metal wall studs.
These and other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims and appended drawings.